Kaset TV5, Channel 5 Agriculture Show: Community Development proudly presents the episode on H.K. Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and its role in fostering sustainable social contributions.
This Sunday May 19, 2024, Kaset TV5, Channel 5 Agriculture Show: Community Development will take viewers on a tour of H.K. Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to explore its role in fostering sustainable social contributions. Listen to the company’s philosophy, vision, and policy initiatives from Mr. Paphawin
Nithimethawin, Managing Director of H.K. Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., along with details about the company’s high-quality products across various categories. Hear about the company’s social engagement through various activities from Mrs. Tipasiri Chaturongkhasamrit, Executive Director of H.K. Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
One particularly commendable social contribution is that H.K. Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. employs well-behaved inmates from Samut Sakhon Provincial Prison, under the Department of Corrections. This initiative aims to provide these individuals with job training before their release, and the company is willing to offer them permanent positions upon their release.
Bangkok & Provincial Youths Face Heavy Heat & Rain's Wrath
BANGKOK – The month of May marks the start of the rainy season in Thailand, bringing much-needed relief from the intense heat from the previous. However, the extreme weather has already made a negative impact on Thai people, including children.
In April, temperatures soared to 45 degrees Celsius in many areas. All 36 districts in Thailand’s 77 provinces recorded their highest temperatures in April, with 26 provinces experiencing temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius.
High temperatures are particularly tough on children. They need to stay indoors more and increased reliance on cooling methods, which can make it harder for them to study. Sudden weather changes, like unexpected storms, can also damage homes and buildings, making it difficult for many children to get basic services.
Heat waves, worsened by climate change, are a serious health risk for children. They have a harder time cooling down their bodies compared to adults. More heat waves mean higher chances of health problems like asthma, respiratory diseases, and heart issues. Infants and young children are especially at risk of heat stroke.
Even after the hot summer, the monsoon season brings its challenges. Due to climate change, there is more rain than usual, and stronger storms often disrupt schools, especially in remote areas. Both droughts and floods hurt agriculture, which many families rely on for income. This affects their financial stability and can impact children’s education.
A recent UNICEF report highlights the seriousness of the situation, showing that millions of children worldwide are suffering from rising temperatures. The 2022 report, “The Coldest Year of the Rest of Their Lives: Protecting Children from the Escalating Impacts of Heatwaves,” says 559 million children are exposed to frequent heat waves, a number expected to rise to 2.02 billion by 2050.
In Thailand, the situation is particularly alarming. Most children face frequent heat waves, with more than 75 percent, or about 10.3 million children, affected by extreme heat in 2020 alone. By 2050, all children under 18 in Thailand are expected to experience more frequent and longer heatwaves.
A report by the Thailand Development Research Institute and UNICEF points out that children in Thailand are at high risk from climate change, including high temperatures, floods, and droughts. Children in provinces like Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sisaket, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Narathiwat are at the highest risk.
Echo of Provincial Youth
Asmanee Chesuemea, known as Mane, a 21-year-old third-year political science student at Thammasat University from Narathiwat. She was one of the youth a representative at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 28) in Dubai. Mane shared with Khaosod English that extreme weather changes, whether extreme heat or rainstorms, affect her family and neighboring communities also.
“Although the hot weather in the South is not as severe as in the Central Region, it still impacts the villagers’ lives. Some neighbors work as fishermen and have to go out to sea. As the weather gets hotter, the seawater warms, making it harder to find fish. The warmer sea also affects the marine ecosystem. During the rainy season, my province has many rubber plantations. When it floods, they can’t tap rubber, and there’s a risk of flooding and landslides that can damage schools. I’ve seen homes, including children’s textbooks, get damaged.”
Asmanee Chesuemea, Mane
Mane said, “Narathiwat is my hometown, and it’s one of the areas most at risk from extreme climate events, according to a UNICEF report. From my experience campaigning for environmental activities, I’ve noticed that most villagers’ houses are not built with strong materials. Floods or landslides cause significant damage to their homes and buildings. Worse, some families can’t afford to rebuild, disconnecting many youths from the education system. Many families leave to find work in Bangkok or Malaysia.”
Mane shared her experiences from environmental activities in the area. “I believe extreme climate change has a severe impact on each family’s household economy. Narathiwat has a predominantly agricultural population, with an average income of about 60,000 baht per person per year, which is very low compared to other southern provinces. More than 90 percent of the population are Thai Muslims, so many focus on making a living instead of climate change In some places, folks see extreme weather as part of God’s test, tied to their faith.
Houses of Children in Naratiwat were damaged
Reflecting on her experience at COP 28, Mane said it was exciting to participate in such a significant event. She saw the enthusiasm of many countries to address climate change, with nations pledging to reduce fossil fuel use to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, many factors make the future uncertain. Mane urges the Thai government to pay more attention to climate change and environmental issues, as they impact not only her hometown but also many areas across Thailand.
High Temp High Bills
It’s not just youth in the provinces who are affected by extreme weather conditions. Young people in Bangkok are also feeling the impact. Tawan Bunpool, an 18-year-old girl living in the Pracha Uthit area of Thung Khru Subdistrict, Thonburi, shared her experience with Khaosod English. This past summer, her home was directly affected by the heat. Her family’s financial situation meant they couldn’t afford an air conditioner, despite temperatures in Bangkok reaching nearly 43 degrees Celsius.
“Even though our house is made of cement, it’s a one-story house with a tile roof, making it very hot inside during the summer. There are six of us living together, including small children and elderly people, so it’s quite difficult both during the day and at night. We have several fans running during the day, but they don’t do much to cool things down. At night, even with cooling powder, it still feels hot and stuffy. I often can’t fall asleep until almost 2 a.m.”
Tawan, who works at a fast food restaurant six days a week and studies in a non-formal education program on Sundays, admits that both the summer and rainy seasons are tough. “In the summer, our electricity bill is much higher. Normally, we pay about 500-700 baht, but in the summer, it goes over 1,000 baht. All of my family members have to work to pay basic expenses. During the rainy season, our home alley often floods, making it difficult to get to work and school. Heavy rains sometimes damage the roof, adding to our problems.”
When asked the extreme weather has any effect on making life better?, Tawan noted that living in an urban area makes it easier to find work compared to youths in the provinces, where families rely on agriculture and are more directly affected by weather conditions. However, she believes that extreme weather significantly impacts her lifestyle and health. “The intense heat can affect your health, and rainstorms make city life, which is already challenging, even harder.”
Bumpy Future
Only 2.4% of major global climate funds are dedicated to helping children, as found in a 2023 study by the Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative (CERI) coalition, which includes Plan International, Save the Children, and UNICEF.
This lack of funding not only makes children more vulnerable but also keeps their voices from being heard in important discussions about climate change.
“As our world gets hotter, it’s crucial for governments, communities, and individuals to work together. We need to make sure that everyone can live in a safe environment,” said Kyungsun Kim, UNICEF Representative for Thailand. “By investing in strong buildings that can withstand climate challenges, eco-friendly services, sustainable practices, and giving children a say in decisions, we can create a future where they can grow up safely.”
Heatwaves are just one part of the bigger climate crisis we’re facing, Kim added. “As we navigate this uncertain path, we must remember our duty to protect future generations. We must strive for a sustainable future where every child can live in a world that’s ready for climate change.”
Asmanee Chesuemea, known as Mane, a 21-year-old third-year political science student at Thammasat University from Narathiwat. She was one of the youth a representative at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 28) in Dubai.
Rescue teams are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. A helicopter carrying President Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday, sparking a massive rescue operation in a fog-shrouded forest as the public was urged to pray. (Azin Haghighi, Moj News Agency via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rescuers on Monday found a helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials that had apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran the day before, though “no sign of life” was detected, state media reported.
As the sun rose Monday, rescuers saw the helicopter from a distance of some 2 kilometers (1.25 miles), the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, told state media. He did not elaborate and the officials had been missing at that point by over 12 hours.
President Ebrahim Raisi attends the inauguration ceremony of dam of Qiz Qalasi, or Castel of Girl in Azeri, at the border of Iran and Azerbaijan with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
Iran has also faced years of mass protests against its Shiite theocracy over an ailing economy and women’s rights — making the moment that much more sensitive for Tehran and the future of the country as the Israel-Hamas war inflames the wider Middle East.
Raisi was traveling in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. State TV said what it called a “hard landing” happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with the nation of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Later, state TV put it farther east near the village of Uzi, but details remained contradictory.
With Raisi were Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and other officials and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. One local government official used the word “crash,” but others referred to either a “hard landing” or an “incident.”
Early Monday morning, Turkish authorities released what they described as drone footage showing what appeared to be a fire in the wilderness that they “suspected to be wreckage of helicopter.” The coordinates listed in the footage put the fire some 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border on the side of a steep mountain.
The helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi takes off at the Iranian border with Azerbaijan after President Raisi and his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev inaugurated dam of Qiz Qalasi, or Castel of Girl in Azeri, Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Ali Hamed Haghdoust/IRNA via AP)
Footage released by the IRNA early Monday showed what the agency described as the crash site, across a steep valley in a green mountain range. Soldiers speaking in the local Azeri language said: “There it is, we found it.”
Shortly after, state TV in an on-screen scrolling text said: “There is no sign of live from people on board.” It did not elaborate, but the semiofficial Tasnim news agency showed rescuers using a small drone to fly over the site, with them speaking among themselves saying the same thing. The footage showed the tail of the helicopter and brunt debris all around it.
Hard-liners had urged the public to pray. State TV aired images of hundreds of the faithful, some with their hands outstretched in supplication, praying at Imam Reza Shrine in the city of Mashhad, one of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites, as well as in Qom and other locations across the country. State television’s main channel aired the prayers nonstop.
In Tehran, a group of men kneeling on the side of the street clasped strands of prayer beads and watched a video of Raisi praying, some of them visibly weeping.
“If anything happens to him we’ll be heartbroken,” said one of the men, Mehdi Seyedi. ”May the prayers work and may he return to the arms of the nation safe and sound.”
IRNA called the area a “forest” and the region is known to be mountainous as well. State TV aired images of SUVs racing through a wooded area and said they were being hampered by poor weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind. Rescuers could be seen walking in the fog and mist.
Khamenei himself also urged the public to pray.
People pray for President Ebrahim Raisi in a ceremony at Vali-e-Asr square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
“We hope that God the Almighty returns the dear president and his colleagues in full health to the arms of the nation,” Khamenei said, drawing an “amen” from the worshipers he was addressing.
However, the supreme leader also stressed the business of Iran’s government would continue no matter what. Under the Iranian constitution, Iran’s vice first president takes over if the president dies with Khamenei’s assent, and a new presidential election would be called within 50 days. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber already had begun receiving calls from officials and foreign governments in Raisi’s absence, state media reported.
Raisi, 63, a hard-liner who formerly led the country’s judiciary, is viewed as a protégé of Khamenei and some analysts have suggested he could replace the 85-year-old leader after Khamenei’s death or resignation.
Raisi had been on the border with Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third one that the two nations built on the Aras River. The visit came despite chilly relations between the two nations, including over a gun attack on Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Tehran in 2023, and Azerbaijan’s diplomatic relations with Israel, which Iran’s Shiite theocracy views as its main enemy in the region.
Iran flies a variety of helicopters in the country, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them. Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. IRNA published images it described as Raisi taking off in what resembled a Bell helicopter, with a blue-and-white paint scheme previously seen in published photographs. Footage from the crash site matched that paint pattern.
Raisi won Iran’s 2021 presidential election, a vote that saw the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history. Raisi is sanctioned by the U.S. in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 at the end of the bloody Iran-Iraq war.
Rescue teams and people are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azin Haghighi/Moj News Agency via AP)
Under Raisi, Iran now enriches uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels and hampers international inspections. Iran has armed Russia in its war on Ukraine, as well as launched a massive drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It also has continued arming proxy groups in the Mideast, like Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, mass protests in the country have raged for years. The most recent involved the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who had been earlier detained over allegedly not wearing a hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. The monthslong security crackdown that followed the demonstrations killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.
In March, a United Nations investigative panel found that Iran was responsible for the “physical violence” that led to Amini’s death.
Manchester City's Kyle Walker celebrates with the Premier League trophy after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The numbers speak for themselves.
An unprecedented fourth-straight Premier League title for Manchester City. A sixth in seven seasons to further emphasize the club’s near-total dominance of the era.
A 17th trophy for City manager Pep Guardiola in eight years at the club — and that could rise to 18 if City beats Manchester United in next week’s FA Cup final. It’s a full set of major honors over that period, having won the Champions League for the first time last season.
Except for Liverpool in 2020, there has been no team in England’s top flight to touch City since Guardiola began his remarkable run by winning the title in 2018.
Guardiola had already led City to back-to-back titles in 2018 and ’19 with totals of 100 and 98 points before his run was ended by Liverpool. In 2021 City reclaimed the title and has been the dominant force in England ever since by becoming the first English team to win four-straight top flight titles.
Manchester City fans celebrate at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Manchester City clinched the English Premier League on Sunday after beating West Ham in their last match of the season. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
This team’s crowning glory came last season when it won the treble of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. It has won three League Cups over this current run of success and also reached the Champions League final in 2021.
The greatest English team of its time? Without doubt. But whether City can be considered the greatest English team of all time is likely to dominate debate for years to come.
Here are the rivals to that greatest-of-all-time title:
LIVERPOOL (1982-84)
Liverpool won three-straight top flight titles from 1982-84 — a period that also saw it win the European Cup and three English League Cups.
But this was just one period of an era of success that ran from 1973-90 and which saw it win 11 league titles and four European Cups among other major trophies.
Yet for all of Liverpool’s sustained dominance under a series of managers beginning with Bill Shankly and ending with Kenny Dalglish, only once did it secure a hat trick of titles.
The first two of those were under Bob Paisley and the third was won by Joe Fagan, who also guided the club to the European Cup and League Cup that season.
In 1985 Liverpool was beaten to the title by Merseyside rival Everton, but reclaimed it the following season and also won the FA Cup.
MANCHESTER UNITED (1999-2001)
By the time Alex Ferguson won his first hat trick of titles with United from 1999-2001 he had already twice come close to achieving that feat.
In 1995, two-time defending champion United was one point behind winner Blackburn. After reclaiming the title in 1996 and defending it in ’97, United was one point behind 1998 winner Arsenal.
In 1999 United not only reclaimed its title, but won an unprecedented treble of trophies – the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. It went on to complete a hat trick of titles over the next two seasons by a combined total of 28 points over the runner-up on both occasions, Arsenal.
FILE – Manchester United’s Gary Neville, second right, his brother Phil Neville, right, and the players celebrate with the trophy after wining the UEFA Champions Cup final, beating Bayern Munich 2-1, at the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona, Wednesday, May 26, 1999. AP Photo/Camay Sungu, File)
MANCHESTER UNITED (2007-09)
After three years without a title, United’s rebuilt team began another period of dominance inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. It won a hat trick of titles from 2007-09 and also lifted another Champions League in 2008. United also reached the Champions League final in 2009 and again in 2011.
This period also included the League Cup in 2009.
The title-winning run was ended by Chelsea in 2010, when United was just one point behind the leader once again.
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Arsenal is the only team in the Premier League to go an entire league season unbeaten in 2003-04 – earning itself the nickname of the Invincibles.
Preston was the first team in English soccer’s top flight to go a full season unbeaten when it also became the first to win a league and FA Cup double in 1888-89.
Huddersfield (1924-26) and Arsenal (1933-35) both had periods of dominance and each won title hat tricks in an era before the European Cup when it was more difficult to judge teams in relation to rivals around Europe.
Arsenal’s Jorginho and Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko, right, applaud spectators at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates stadium in London, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Arsenal won the match 2-1 but it was not enough to clinch the Premier League title as Manchester City won their last match of the season the top the season ending standings. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
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Man City Wins Record Fourth-Straight Premier League Title After 3-1 Win Against West Ham
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City won a record fourth-straight Premier League title on Sunday by beating West Ham 3-1 in the final game of the season.
City is the first team to be crowned champion of English soccer’s top division four years in a row after holding off the challenge of second-place Arsenal, which beat Everton 2-1.
Two goals from Phil Foden in the first half set Pep Guardiola’s team on course for its latest title. Mohammed Kudus pulled a goal back for West Ham with a stunning overhead kick, but Rodri restored City’s advantage as it marched toward a sixth title in seven seasons.
Guardiola’s team needed to beat West Ham at Etihad Stadium to be certain of the title, having gone into the game two points clear at the top of the standings.
Foden helped ease any potential nerves among the home fans when firing City ahead with a brilliant goal inside two minutes.
Manchester City fans celebrate during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Receiving a pass from Bernardo Silva, Foden side-stepped West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse and unleashed a left-foot shot outside the area that rocketed into the top corner. The goal was timed at just under 80 seconds.
Foden, England’s footballer of the year, added a second in the 18th minute when converting Jeremy Doku’s cross from close range.
Kudus produced a moment of magic in the 42nd with an acrobatic overhead kick that might have given Arsenal hope of an unlikely comeback.
But it didn’t take City long to extend its lead again after the break as Rodri fired low a effort from the edge of the box that West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola could not keep out despite getting a hand to the ball.
City ended the season with 91 points — two more than Arsenal.
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Man United finishes outside the European spots despite winning last game in Premier League
Manchester United finished outside the European positions in eighth place and with a negative goal difference despite beating Brighton 2-0 away in their final game in the Premier League season on Sunday.
Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund were the scorers for United at Amex Stadium.
Finishing in sixth or seventh place would have confirmed a place in the Europa League or Europa Conference League, respectively, for United.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag applauds fans, at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
However, the two teams above United — Chelsea and Newcastle — both won elsewhere in the final round.
United could still get into the Europa League by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday.
It was Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi’s final match in charge of his team. He announced Saturday he’d be stepping down after Sunday’s game.
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Jurgen Klopp welcomes likely successor Arne Slot with a song in Liverpool farewell
Wearing a red hoodie with the words “I’ll Never Walk Alone” on the back, Klopp regaled the home fans with the song “Arne Slot, la la la la la” — to the tune of “Live is Life” by Austrian band Opus.
Slot, who has been coach at Dutch club Feyenoord since 2021, said on Friday that he will be the next Liverpool manager. Neither of the clubs has officially confirmed the appointment.
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp reacts after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Klopp is leaving after nearly nine years at Anfield. His last match was an emotionally charged 2-0 win over Wolverhampton.
“You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me,” Klopp roared down the microphone as Liverpool fans chanted the Arne Slot song. “You go all in from then first day.”
“You keep believing and you push the team … I’m one of you now. I love you to bits.”
Slot ended his time at Feyenoord by leading the team to a 4-0 win over Excelsior in the Dutch league on Sunday.
President Ebrahim Raisi attends the inauguration ceremony of dam of Qiz Qalasi, or Castel of Girl in Azeri, at the border of Iran and Azerbaijan with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday, sparking a massive rescue operation in a fog-shrouded forest as the public was urged to pray.
The likely crash came as Iran under Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel last month and has enriched uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.
Iran has also faced years of mass protests against its Shiite theocracy over an ailing economy and women’s rights — making the moment that much more sensitive for Tehran and the future of the country as the Israel-Hamas war inflames the wider Middle East.
Raisi was traveling in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. State TV said what it called a “hard landing” happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with the nation of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Later, state TV put it farther east near the village of Uzi, but details remained contradictory.
In this photo provided by Moj News Agency, rescue teams and people are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azin Haghighi/Moj News Agency via AP)
Traveling with Raisi were Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and other officials and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. One local government official used the word “crash,” but others referred to either a “hard landing” or an “incident.”
Neither IRNA nor state TV offered any information on Raisi’s condition in the hours afterward. However, hard-liners urged the public to pray for him. State TV later aired images of the faithful praying at Imam Reza Shrine in the city of Mashhad, one of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites, as well as in Qom and other locations across the country. State television’s main channel aired the prayers nonstop.
“The esteemed president and company were on their way back aboard some helicopters and one of the helicopters was forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog,” Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in comments aired on state TV. “Various rescue teams are on their way to the region but because of the poor weather and fogginess it might take time for them to reach the helicopter.”
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, left, shakes hands with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev during their meeting in the inauguration ceremony of dam of Qiz Qalasi, or Castel of Girl in Azeri, at the border of Iran and Azerbaijan, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office via AP)
IRNA called the area a “forest” and the region is known to be mountainous as well. State TV aired images of SUVs racing through a wooded area and said they were being hampered by poor weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind.
A rescue helicopter tried to reach the area where authorities believe Raisi’s helicopter was, but it couldn’t land due to heavy mist, emergency services spokesman Babak Yektaparast told IRNA.
Long after the sun set, Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi acknowledged that “we are experiencing difficult and complicated conditions” in the search.
Vehicles are seen near the site of the incident of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Varzaghan in northwestern Iran, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Azin Haghighi/Moj News Agency via AP)
“It is the right of the people and the media to be aware of the latest news about the president’s helicopter accident, but considering the coordinates of the incident site and the weather conditions, there is ‘no’ new news whatsoever until now,” he wrote on the social platform X. “In these moments, patience, prayer and trust in relief groups are the way forward.”
Khamenei himself also urged the public to pray.
“We hope that God the Almighty returns the dear president and his colleagues in full health to the arms of the nation,” Khamenei said, drawing an “amen” from the audience he was addressing.
Raisi, 63, a hard-liner who formerly led the country’s judiciary, is viewed as a protégé of Khamenei and some analysts have suggested he could replace the 85-year-old leader after Khamenei’s death or resignation from the role.
Raisi had been on the border with Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third one that the two nations built on the Aras River. The visit came despite chilly relations between the two nations, including over a gun attack on Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Tehran in 2023, and Azerbaijan’s diplomatic relations with Israel, which Iran’s Shiite theocracy views as its main enemy in the region.
Iran flies a variety of helicopters in the country, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them. Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. IRNA published images it described as Raisi taking off in what resembled a Bell 412 helicopter, with a blue-and-white paint scheme previously seen in published photographs.
Raisi won Iran’s 2021 presidential election, a vote that saw the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history. Raisi is sanctioned by the U.S. in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 at the end of the bloody Iran-Iraq war.
FILE- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi places his hands on his heart as a gesture of respect to the crowd during the funeral ceremony of the victims of Wednesday’s bomb explosion in the city of Kerman about 510 miles (820 kms) southeast of the capital Tehran, Iran, Jan. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
Under Raisi, Iran now enriches uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels and hampers international inspections. Iran has armed Russia in its war on Ukraine, as well as launched a massive drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It also has continued arming proxy groups in the Mideast, like Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, mass protests in the country have raged for years. The most recent involved the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who had been earlier detained over allegedly not wearing a hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. The monthslong security crackdown that followed the demonstrations killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.
In March, a United Nations investigative panel found that Iran was responsible for the “physical violence” that led to Amini’s death.
President Joe Biden was briefed by aides on the Iran crash, but administration officials have not learned much more than what is being reported publicly by Iran state media, said a senior administration official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
BANGKOK – The 2nd World Qualifying Tournament Boxing Road to Paris – Bangkok will feature fighters from around the world competing to qualify for the last remaining spots at the 33rd Summer Olympic Games in Paris France this year with the action taking place over 10 days from May 24 to June 2 at Indoor Stadium Hua Mak.
Hosts, the Thailand Boxing Association, will welcome more than 1,460 athletes and officials from 144 countries. In addition to all of the exciting action in the boxing ring, the association is organising a range of additional features and activities for fans to enjoy. Among the extra activities are:
A Boxing History Exhibition which will showcase the history and development of Thai boxing at the Olympics focusing on past competitions and former champions. The exhibition will also highlight the relationship between the Thai monarchy and the sport of boxing. The information will be presented in fan-friendly formats designed to entertain and inform.
A Paintings Contest Exhibition which will display beautiful and creative pieces of art created around the theme of “Thai Boxing on the Road to the Olympics”. The artworks on display have been created by the citizens of Thailand – both young and old – and offer interesting and beautiful interpretations on Thailand’s boxers’ Olympic journeys.
The Net Zero Exhibition will feature creative works and innovative items created by members of the local community surrounding the venue, using only recycled and waste materials. The initiative was driven by the efforts of the Thailand Olympic Committee Under Royal Patronage and the Thailand Boxing Association to support environmentally-friendly sports activities. The two bodies, and the pieces on display, aim to increase knowledge within the community on the concept and importance of “Net Zero” sustainability practices.
Additionally, there will be a variety of sports activities and games for attendees to participate in, including VR Boxing and Punch Boxing games, plus face painting for fans to join the BOOM BOOM TO CHEER team to inspire the local fighters to produce their very best.
Come and support Thailand’s boxers fighting for the opportunity to claim one of the final places at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 2nd World Qualifying Tournament Boxing Road to Paris – Bangkok from 24 May to 2 June at the Indoor Stadium Hua Mak. Entry is free.
Hotel staff led police to survey the damage caused by the drunk Chinese tourist on May 19, 2024.
BANGKOK – Officers from Thung Maha Mek Police Station arrested Mr. Wang, a 30-year-old Chinese national, on May 19 after he damaged several items inside his room on the 15th floor of a hotel on Sathorn South Road.
Mr. Wang confessed that he had been drinking heavily from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on May 18. After that, he used a marble chair in the room to smash the glass wall of the room until it shattered, damaging the TV, bedside lamp, marble table, and bedding set. The total value of the damaged property was 150,800 baht.
In addition, he used a lighter to set fire to the front of the room door and the plastic button set for ringing the doorbell.
The officers charged him with arson of another person’s property, which is a dwelling where people live, causing damage to property, and consuming alcohol until behaving disruptively or being unable to control oneself while in a public place.
According to Thai law regarding offences relating to causing public danger, Section 217 states that whoever sets fire to things belonging to another person shall be imprisoned for six months to seven years or fined between one thousand Baht and fourteen thousand Baht. In this case, the perpetrator must also pay additional compensation to the hotel for the damages.
Netiporn "Bung Thaluwang" Sanehsangkhom's funeral at Wat Suthapot in Bangkok's Lat Krabang district on May 17, 2024.
The untimely death of lese majeste detainee Netiporn “Bung Thaluwang” Sanehsangkhom, 28, on Tuesday would not have taken place in a genuinely free and democratic society.
This is something that cannot be stressed often enough because holding an impromptu survey by asking passerby “whether royal motorcades inconvenience others or not” is definitely not a crime in England, Japan, or Sweden. Bung was charged under the law along with five others (including a minor) in the Kingdom of Thailand, however, and was accused of not just defaming the monarchy, but committing a seditious act. And at present, we are supposedly not living in a medieval age, or under absolute monarchy, any longer.
The original lese majeste ‘crime’ was committed on February 8 at Siam Paragon Shopping Mall and she was arrested on January 26 this year after her bail was revoked due to her joining and calling for a political protest last August, thus breaking the bail conditions.
How on earth, in a self-proclaimed democratic society, could Bung be charged with royal defamation crime and sedition for something so harmless as publicly asking people to attach a sticker on a paper board to answer whether royal motorcades caused inconveniences to ordinary people or not?
The second thing worth noting is that Bung’s father is a judge, her sister an attorney, and she came from a solid middle-class family, and well-educated. She was a graduate of Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Business Administration, a leading university, and works as a private English-language tutor of school students.
Bung also used to support royalist movement and attend royalist demonstrations of the so-called Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) led by veteran politician Suthep Thuagsuban in 2014, which eventually led to the May 2024 military coup in the name of protecting the monarchy (and the transition of the throne).
All changed when she learned more as to why and how Redshirts were mowed down by soldiers during the crackdown on Redshirt protesters in 2010 and joined the emerging wave of youth calling for monarchy reform over the past half a decade. Bung was not alone, although her decision to go on hunger strike to call for judicial reform and the bail rights for all political detainees eventually led to her death on Tuesday, May 14, after 110 days of hunger strike in prison, there are many more young Thais with similar political views.
Her death is definitely causing more anger, if not hatred, particularly among young Thais who share Bung’s views about the need for Thailand to become freer and egalitarian. We are definitely moving closer towards the tipping point.
Third, while some expressed sorrow and praised Bung as a hero, a good number of royalists, and even some supporters of the Pheu Thai government, laughed and expressed joy, or schadenfreude, on social media at Bung’s untimely death. Perhaps it is too much to ask some to be considerate, even if they disagree or see Bung as an ungrateful Thai who’s against the monarchy.
To be fair, when the late king died, some anti-monarchists were expressing satisfaction on social media as well. And this is where Thailand finds herself in 2024.
Thai and foreign good Samaritans helped bring the British man who was injured to the ambulance on May 18, 2024.
PHUKET – A fight broke out between a foreigner and a group of Thai teenagers in Soi Bangla Street, a famous entertainment area in Patong, Kathu District, Phuket. A British man who tried to intervene was injured by a knife on his left rib.
The incident took place on the roadside, close to a convenience store where the injured person, Mr. Charlie, a British national, ran to seek help. Good Samaritans and another foreigner who happened to be at the scene provided initial first aid. Afterward, officials transported him to Patong Hospital.
Mr. Charlie, a British national, ran to seek help in the convenience store where the rescuers came to take him to the hospital.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanan Mekchai, an investigative inspector at Patong Police Station, examined CCTV footage. At 04:32 AM on May 18, a foreigner wearing a white shirt and pants was seen with his Thai girlfriend engaging in a fistfight with a group of Thais on Soi Bangla Street. The altercation escalated, and they pushed each other into a small alley that locals call Soi Lao. The fight continued again on the roadside.
One minute later, Mr. Charlie, wearing a black t-shirt and black shorts, walked in, saw the incident, and tried to stop the groups. At that moment, there was a commotion as they pushed out of Soi Lao.
The injured person was then stabbed and went to ask for help at the convenience store, where he collapsed and was bleeding. Both Thai and foreign good Samaritans who witnessed the incident quickly provided first aid and notified the authorities for assistance before rescue workers took him to the hospital.
A convenience store employee present at the scene said that the injured British man ran into the store and collapsed in front of the counter in a pool of blood. At that time, he couldn’t speak but was coughing up blood. When his black t-shirt was removed, a small puncture wound, seemingly from a sharpened metal object, was found on his left rib cage. His head also appeared to have been hit with a glass bottle.
The scene where the fight broke out between foreigners and a group of Thai teenagers is in Soi Bangla Street, a famous entertainment area in Patong, Kathu District, Phuket.
The Thai girlfriend who came with him said that her British boyfriend was not involved in the brawl but was an unintended victim.
Police Colonel Chalermchai Hernsawat, Superintendent of Patong Police Station in Phuket, revealed that they now know the identities of the perpetrators, believed to be a group of Thais. The investigative team is urgently tracking them down for questioning.
Forensic officers examine a white Toyota Vios sedan in which Mr. Yasir is believed to have shot and killed Mr. Poulose.
PHANG NGA – In the incident of the murder of an Indian man in Phang Nga Province, police officers arrested Mr. Yasir, 33, and Ms. Khadija Yasir, 38, a Thai national, on May 18, based on an arrest warrant issued by the Phang Nga Provincial Court.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirapob Puridej, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau believed that this case is shocking and impacts the country’s image. He, therefore, instructed the Crime Suppression Division, in collaboration with Provincial Police Region 8 and the Tourist Police to expedite the resolution of the case.
The two suspects are allegedly involved in the murder of Mr. Poulose, an Indian national, near a road in Village No. 3, Ban Na, Lo Yung Subdistrict, Takua Thung District, Phang Nga Province, on May 15. Police stated that the victim was shot in the back of the head, with the bullet exiting through his left cheek.
Police officers inspect the suspects’ residence in Phang Nga Province and collect evidence to support the prosecution.
They were charged with premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and carrying weapons in public places or villages without permission. The police seized evidence, including a CZ handgun, 9 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a white Toyota Vios sedan, and several other related items.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Poulose had arrived in Thailand on April 19 and stayed at a condominium in Wichit Subdistrict, Phuket Province, along with the two suspects. CCTV footage showed the three individuals traveling in a Toyota Vios sedan, heading towards Phang Nga Province on May 14, with the Thai woman driving.
Police officers inspect the suspects’ residence in Phang Nga Province and collect evidence to support the prosecution.
Police speculate that during the journey, Mr. Poulose argued with Mr. Yasir, claiming that the Pakistani man had deceived him and taken his money to invest in a business without his consent. Mr. Yasir then instructed his wife to drive to the crime scene, where he shot and killed Mr. Poulose. They dragged the body and left it at the scene before fleeing to a house in Khok Kloi Subdistrict, Phang Nga Province, to clean the car and destroy evidence. They hid the firearm at the house.
Afterward, Mr. Yasir took the victim’s personal belongings and stored them at the condominium in Wichit Subdistrict, Phang Nga Province, where they were eventually arrested.
Both suspects denied the charges, but the police are confident in the evidence. The suspects were handed over to the investigating officers at Khok Kloi Police Station in Phang Nga Province for further legal proceedings.
